Lawn Maintenance & Renovation

Thread: Dethatch+aerate+overseed?

Hey guys I'm new to the site and new to lawn care, so basically i want to aerate my lawn because it died this summer from the heat and wanted to know if i could dethatch+aerate in 1 day and overseed a few days later?which is best to do?thanks

Unless you have a need to aerate,,, for an actual reason,,, you'll have much better results by running a slit-seeder over the ground just the way it is and keeping it watered... soil to seed contact can be made in the bottom of the slit,,, but if not, seed to mulch contact is even better, becuz the mulch doesn't dry out as quickly as dirt does...
De-thatching is an error for cool-season grasses,,, even for seeding...

If your lawn is truly dead,,, then even if you had a thick layer of living thatch,,, that will be truly dead as well...

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Now that I know that clay's texture(platelets) has nothing to do with water infiltration, percolation, or drainage,,, I wonder what does...
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My opinion. Use high-quality disease-resistant seed, suited to your climate. Start in late summer when temps come down to 85.Warm soil causes quick germination, (if moist). Mow as short as you can--removing the residue. Add starter fert. Power rake and sow seed or slit seed. Mulch over the top with the residue you just removed. Water every day for 30 days. Use turf building fert after 30 days and again at 60 days.
Let us know what happens, OK?

My opinion. Use high-quality disease-resistant seed, suited to your climate. Start in late summer when temps come down to 85.Warm soil causes quick germination, (if moist). Mow as short as you can--removing the residue. Add starter fert. Power rake and sow seed or slit seed. Mulch over the top with the residue you just removed. Water every day for 30 days. Use turf building fert after 30 days and again at 60 days.
Let us know what happens, OK?

What he says, except I would aerate up to 12 holes per sq ft right after the mowing. Plugs help cover seed and holes make a great place for seed to get a start.

I am not a proponent of top dressing to cover the seed to substitute for proper soil preparation. I think you would need too much. If you planned to bury the seed a quarter inch deep. My estimate is 21 cubic feet per 1000 sqft. (That would be three-quarters of a cubic yard per 1000 sqft. (Around 1650 pounds).http://www.ask.com/questions-about/W...c-Yard-Topsoil
And it is nearly impossible to spread it evenly.

I am not a proponent of top dressing to cover the seed to substitute for proper soil preparation. I think you would need too much. If you planned to bury the seed a quarter inch deep. My estimate is 21 cubic feet per 1000 sqft. (That would be three-quarters of a cubic yard per 1000 sqft. (Around 1650 pounds).http://www.ask.com/questions-about/W...c-Yard-Topsoil
And it is nearly impossible to spread it evenly.

When it comes to overseeding existing turf, it will also be impossible to stir up the soil 1/4" deep as well... I would want seed to germinate in a space between 2 plants 2" wide...

When the grass is cut short those 2", or more, bare spots really show up all over the lawn and you just can culivate those spots to be 1/4" deep w/out harrassing the plants all around it... many times the seed is still visible, just sitting on the surface of that bare spot so the compost, even a little compost, makes the necessary contact for the seed to germinate while on the surface...

This is the very reason why having dead grass clippings sitting in these little bare spots is so important... the seed will never stay in place otherwise...

__________________
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Now that I know that clay's texture(platelets) has nothing to do with water infiltration, percolation, or drainage,,, I wonder what does...
*